Apparatus for wrapping flexible bands



Jan. 6, 1953 A. D. vALlQuET APPARATUS FOR WRAPPING FLEXIBLE BANDS 5 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Sept. 2, 1949 Jan. 6, 1953 A. D. vALlQuET 2,624,166

APPARATUS OR WRAPPING FLEXIBLE BANDS Filed sept. 2, 1949 s sheets-sheet ffy@ f um

Jan. 6, 1953 A. D. vALlQUl-:T 2,624,165

APPARATUS oR WRAPPING FLEXIBLE BANDS Filed Sept. 2, 1949 5 Sheecs-Shee'fl Z5 Patented Jan. 6;, 19753 APrARA'rUs FoR WRAPPING FLEXIBLE BANDS Albert D. Valiquet,y

burgh-Erie Saw Corporation, corporation of Delaware Chicago, Ill., assignor to Pitts- Pittsburgh, Pa., a

' Application September Z, 1949, Serial No. 113,751

- Y Y Yl This invention relates `to a machine for Wrapping a flexible band and more particularly to amachine for folding a ribbon of wrapping material about an endless flexible band. Y

While' the machine of this invention is adapte to wrap many types of bands, it is particularly adapted' to apply -a ribbon of protective material, such as Wrapping paper, about `an enclless'flexible blade, for example, a band saw blade.

It has been' common practice in the past to ship band saw blades unwrapped and coiled. Where a number of coiled blades are shipped in 'a single container, jostling and vibration during shipment causes the-teeth of the blade to become dulled. Even where. coiled blades are shipped singly the teeth on portions of the blade become dulled due to the fact that in coiling the black of the blade crosses the teeth. A band saw blade, because of its character, is a difficult object to wrap, and it is quite uneconomical to employ expensive machinery or tedious hand operations to perform the task.

It is the general object of this invention to produce a machine by means of which a ribbon of ywrapping material may be quickly and economically applied longitudinally of the blade effectively to cover and protect the teeth thereof. The machine of this invention is capable of so applying a ribbon with a minimum of operating steps andat a high rate of speed.

Other details, objects and vadvantages of the inventionl will become apparent as the following description of a present preferred embodiment thereof y proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a present preferred embodiment of the invention in which f Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus illustrated;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the .apparatus of Fiair.y I

Fig-3 yis a top planview of the right hand portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a View open position;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the upper right hand portion of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken from a position 90 from Fig. 5; and y l Y Figs. 7, 8 and9 are views showing the progreslike Fig. 3 with the lfolder in sive folding of a ribbon of wrapping materialabout a band saw blade in theoperation of the apparatus.r

Referring now to the drawings, I show a substantially vertical bed comprising an open frame'- work I0 supported upon a base II. Rotatably mounted on a crossbar I2 of the framework is a wheel VI3 adapted to carry a roll I4 of wrapping material. The wheel I3 is made up of two sides I5 and I6 urged together and against the roll It by a spring I'I located between a washer I8 held in position by a nut 20 pressing against the side I5. By removing the nut I9 from the shaft 2| to which it is threaded the washers and spring may be removed, thus releasing the side I5 for insertion of the roll of Wrapping'material.

Rotatably mounted in the upper left hand portion of the bed is a pair ofl guide rolls 22vand 23. The guide roll 22 is mounted upon a shaft 24 which in turn is mounted upon an arm 25 pivotally connectedV at 26 to the bed. By this arrangement it is possible to rotate the armV about its point of pivotl to lift the roll 22 out of contact with the roll 23. .i Y

At the upper right hand portion of the bed therev is located Va pair of pinch rolls 21 and 28.- The upper pinch roll 2l is fixed to a shaft 29 f rotatably mounted in a housing 30. An enlarged`v 29 isA located within the housing and carries a gear 32. The housing 30' is pivotally mounted on a shaft 33 rotatably mounted in a second housing 34 fixed to a plat--V portion 3| of the shaft form 35 on the framework I0. A shaft36 is rotatably mounted in the housing 34 and carries the.. pinch roll 28 and also carries a second gear 3'1- mounted thereon and located Within the housing'. 34. Fixed to the shaft 33 is a worm 38 engaging the gears 32 and 3l. A motor 52 is connectedby f a belt .53 to a drive wheel54,mounted upon the shaft33 toAY drive rthe pinch rolls.

Means areprovided for rocking the 30 vabout the shaft 33 to raisethe pinch roll 21 out of contact with the roll 28. In the preferred embodiment'shown, the meansconsists of a lever." arm 39 connected to. and extending rearwardly from the housing 30 and carrying a rod 40 piv: otally connected to a foot pedal 4I. From an examination of Figs. land 6 it is clearthat de-. v pressing the foot `pedal 4I serves. `through the;`

I9 and a second Washer" mechanism just described, to rock the pinch roll 21 upwardly, separating it from the roll 28.

Located between the guide rolls and the pinch rolls is a folder 42 comprising two substantially identical sheet metal portions 43 and 44. The portions 43 and 44 are pivotally connected together at 45 and are each formed as to have an initial fiat surface 46. The sides 48 of the portions are curved upwardly to form a channel at 49 and continue to curve upwardly and inwardly until they overlap at 50.

The folder 42 is mounted upon a bracket 55 fixed to thev upper portion of the bed. A rod 55 extends downwardly from the bracket through an opening 51 in an arm 58 pivotally connected at 59 to the bracket. A compression spring 60 surrounds the rod 55 and has one end'bearing against a washer 6l mounted on the end of the rod and has the other end bearing against the` arm 58. A catch 62 is mounted upon the arm 58 and serves to retain the folder portions 43 and 44 in the closed position shown in Fig. 3. By moving the arm 58 downwardly against the tension of the spring 60, the catch 62 is lowered be'- neath the outer edge of the portion 44 to permit that portion to be swung outwardly about the point 45 to the position shown in Fig. 4.

Located between the folder and the pinch rolls is an intermediate roll rotatably mounted upon the upper left hand portion of the bed.

The operation of my invention when employed for wrapping band saw blades is as follows:

A ribbon 63 of wrapping material is led from the roll I4 over the guide roll 23 through the opened folder 42 and between the pinch rolls 27 and 28 which may be separated by depression of the pedal 4I. A band saw blade 64 is then placed in positionA between the pinch rolls and guide rolls and over the ribbon whereupon the guide roll 22 may be lowered, the folder closed, and the pinch rolls brought together by release of the foot pedal. As can be seen in Fig. 3 the blade E4 overlies the ribbon 63 which is folded thereabout by means `of the folder 42. The rolls and the folderlconstitute the sole means for supporting the blade 64 in a generally vertical closed loop. When the motor 52 is started,-the pinch rolls are driven in opposite direction, but with their contacting faces traveling in the same direction to pull the ribbon and blade therethrough. As the blade is moved by thev pinch rolls a continuous ribbon of wrapping vmaterial is fed from the roll I4 andthe edges of the ribbon are folded upwardly and inwardly about the blade as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. The ribbon and blade occupy the relationship shown in Fig. 7 in the portion 46 `of the folder. After entering the channel portion 49 of they folder the edges of the ribbonk are folded inwardly about the blade as shown in Fig. 8 and `as the ribbon and blade leave the folder'the edges have been folded downwardly tothe. position illustrated in Fig. 9. After leaving the folder, the ribbon is -creased in position by operation `of the pinch rolls 21 and 28. As the leading edge 65 of the ribbon is moved clockwise (as shown in Fig. 2) around to the guide rolls, the motor may be halted and the ribbon 63 coming .from theroll I4 may be cut. As the motor is restarted, folding will continue until the cut end is reached and thus the blade may be wrapped` about its entire circumference.

By arranging my saw-wrapping apparatus .in la vertical position I have discovered that not only does-the machine occupy considerably less space than is required were it horizontal butin addition the weight of the blade as it hangs from the rolls involved aid in maintaining the blade in proper alignment for wrapping. A further advantage of the vertical arrangement is the fact that a series of blades may be wrapped, one after the other, with a minimum amount of time being lost in removing a wrapped blade and placing a blade to be wrapped on the machine. Thus, it can be seen that the operator with his right hand may open the folder and grasp the blade, with his left hand grasp the blade to the left of the folder and pivot the roll 22 upwardly while simultaneously depressing` the vfoot .pedal 4|. Thus, with practically one motion the Wrapped blade may be removed. The left hand then feeds a fresh ribbon of material up and over the roll 23 `While the right hand picks up a new blade to be wrapped. Both hands may then be employed for," placing `the vnew blade over the ribbon of wrapping material, closing the folder and manually starting the initial fold of the ribbon about the blade therein. With this accomplished, starting of the motor 52 will accomplish the wrapping operation on the new blade.

In the actual practice of my invention I have found that the ribbon of wrapping material shows no tendency to separate itself from the blade although by coiling the blade in the usual manner, that is, into three sections, the wrapping seems to be tightened about the blade and to be held thereon more securely. However, in no event is an adhesive of any nature required in order to maintain the wrapping on the blade.

While I have shown and described'certainV embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that it is capable of many modifications. Changes, therefore, in the construction and arrangement may be made without departing from the spirit and scope cf the invention as disclosed in the appended claims.

I claim:`

1. A machine for folding a ribbon of wrapping material about a flexible band comprising a pair of guide rolls mounted for rotation about substantially horizontal axes and adapted to align a band and a ribbon p-assing therebetween, a folder having a channel portion adapted to receive the aligned band and ribbon and having progressively incurving sides to fold the edges of theribbon about the band so as to substantially enclose the band, a pair of pinch rolls mounted for rotation about substantially horizontal axes and having generally flat face portions adapted to crease the folded ribbon and means for driving the pinch rolls to pull the band and ribbon through the guide rolls and folder, said rolls and folder constituting the sole means for supporting the band in a generally vertical closed loop.

2. A machine for material about an endless saw blade comprising a vertical bed, a pair of guide rolls mounted .for

rotation on the bed about substantially horizontal axes, means for separating the guide rolls to permit insertion of a ribbon and a blade, means-for rotatably mounting a roll of said material on -the bed, a folder mounted on the bed and having a channel portion and having vertically upstanding and progressively inwardly and-downwardly curving sides with one of said sides beingmovable outwardly to open the folder, a pair of pinch rolls rotatably mounted on the bed about substantially horizontal vertically aligned folder constituting the solesupport for'the blade,

the upper shaft being pivotally connectedto they v bed, amotorforclriving .the pinch. yrol1s.(a foot folding a ribbon ofwrapping 1 shafts, said rollsandA A pedal for, pivoting the last mentioned shaft to separate thepinch rolls whereby the ribbon may be led fronthe coil and between the separated pairs of rolls and through the open folder and a blade passed 'over the ribbon, and whereby the pairs of rolls may be brought together and the folder clq'sdto fold the edges of the ribbon inwardly an downwardly about the entire blade with operation of the motor.

ALBERT D. VALIQUE'I'.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iiie oi this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number` Name Date Crowell Mar. 13, 1894 Wheildon July 7, 1925 Bindszus Mar. 17, 1942 Hinchey Nov. 14, 1944 Gilman Feb. 3, 1948 Kloek May 4, 1948 Wilson et al. Jan. 11, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Apr. 3, 1930 

